Theories of Personality PSY 515 (Graduate Course)
Course Director: Toru Sato
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Course description: This course is an in depth examination of theories and research in the area of Personality Psychology. It is designed to help students develop a solid theoretical foundation on the biological, cognitive, social, & developmental facets of personality and assist them in furthering their own understanding of human nature. A variety of personality theories and contemporary research conducted on these theories will be examined and discussed.
Textbook: Many of the readings are on the internet: The main textbook will be Personality Theories, an E-textbook on the major theories of personality written by Dr. George Boeree on the internet (http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/perscontents.html). Additional readings will be announced in class. It will consist of internet sites, journal articles, and book sections relating to theories of Personality. All non-internet readings are in the course reserves on Blackboard (in pdf format). If you are not familiar with accessing course reserves on Blackboard (http://blackboard.ship.edu/) follow the directions on http://www.ship.edu/Library/services/Reserves/Reserves/.
Evaluation: There will be three non-cumulative exams and one cumulative final exam (each worth 20% of final mark). Each exam will consist of a number of multiple-choice questions. For the first three exams, a study guide with a list of important concepts and theories will be available on a website (http://webspace.ship.edu/tosato/gprstg.htm) one week before each of the exams. Since the study guide for the cumulative final exam would consist of all of the material on the study guides for the first three exams, there will be no study guide made specifically for the cumulative final exam. The lowest exam score will not count toward your final grade. Each student will also write a paper on an assigned topic relevant to personality psychology (worth 20% of final mark). Each student will also participate in a group presentation of a book chapter or journal article (worth 10% of final mark). You will have an in class writing assignment every class throughout the semester (worth 10% of final mark in total). You may have up to 2 excused absences without penalty from your class assignment grade throughout the whole semester. Missing more than 2 classes will lower your overall class assignment grade (regardless of the reason). Tardiness as well as leaving the classroom during class time will result in a deduction from your class assignment grade even if you have completed the assignments. Regardless of reasons, in class assignments and exams cannot be made up. There will also be a 10% deduction from your exam grade for arriving late for any exam.
Electronic Devices: Any use of electronic devices (e.g., mp3 players, cell phones, headphones, laptops, etc.) in class will result in a 10% deduction from your next exam grade.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GROUP PRESENTATIONS
Each student will take part in a group presentation summarizing a book chapter or journal article assigned at the beginning of the term. Presenting groups will have access to the blackboard, overhead projector, VCR/DVD, computer with a large screen projector with Powerpoint. Each group presentation should last approximately 15-20 minutes. Each student in the group must speak to the class for a proportionate amount of presentation time using their own words (do not read directly from your notes & do not recite excerpts directly from the book chapter or article). Each student will be evaluated on group organization as well as their individual performance.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PAPER
Each student will be expected to write a paper on an assigned theory. The paper should focus on the pros and cons of a theory in the field of Personality Psychology. The student must read and cite original writings by the theorist/theorist group as well as other journal articles, books, and book chapters to support and argue against the theory. The paper should be an eight-paragraph essay examining the pros and cons of a particular theory. The first paragraph should be an introduction of the theory. The second, fourth, and sixth paragraph should provide arguments that support the theory (using research evidence, other literature, and logic). Paragraphs three, five, and seven should focus on research evidence, literature, and logic that argue against the theory. The eighth and final paragraph should be the conclusion. The paper should be in APA format and should include a title page, abstract, and a reference section. The paper should be typed, double-spaced, and 1500-1800 words long excluding the abstract and reference section. You must submit both a hardcopy of your paper and an identical electronic copy of your paper to http://www.turnitin.com. Your course syllabus explains how to submit your paper to http://www.turnitin.com.
APA Format Links: |
Order of Topics,
ADDITIONAL
Important Links